The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will collaborate and partner with more than 20 African nations in tourism, aviation, transport, logistics, infrastructure, and digital transformation.
The new investment mapping was announced in a joint ministerial statement following a high-level ministerial roundtable meeting in Dubai. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UAE-Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Held under the theme ‘Tourism at the Heart of Africa’s Growth Agenda’, the roundtable was attended by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, alongside tourism ministers and officials from the African nations.
UAE deepens tourism ties with Africa
The ministers welcomed the development of a concise investment mapping that identifies priority projects and enable reforms in tourism and related sectors such as aviation, logistics, infrastructure and digital across participating countries. The projects submitted under the investment mapping are estimated to require a total investment of approximately US$6 billion and are projected to generate 70,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri commented: “Today, the UAE and Africa stand at a pivotal moment in developing a resilient and sustainable tourism sector. This milestone is marked by the launch of a new investment mapping featuring diverse tourism projects in the fields of aviation, logistics services, infrastructure, and the digital sector, with an estimated total value of approximately US$6 billion and the potential to generate 70,000 job opportunities in various countries of the African continent.
“This step aims to create a qualitative shift in the level of tourism partnerships between the UAE and Africa. It will also pave the way for regional and global business communities to participate in UAE-Africa tourism investment projects, thus enhancing the position of tourism as a fundamental pillar of sustainable and comprehensive economic development.”
Al Marri emphasised the importance of tourism cooperation in the next phase to build new partnerships between the public and private sectors. He further noted that the UAE has emerged as a strategic hub for building such effective and impactful international tourism partnerships and serves as a successful model for sharing its tourism expertise and capabilities with Africa, supported by its robust experience and world-class infrastructure.
The meeting showcased the UAE’s model of tourism development and its success in attracting high-quality global investment to the sector, thereby enhancing economic diversification and contributing to national GDP growth.
The ministers shared a vision of sustainable, inclusive, and resilient tourism-led growth that benefits communities, empowers women and youth, supports micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, protects the environment, and safeguards cultural and natural heritage. They also recognized the catalytic role of private investment, sound policies, and effective public–private partnerships in delivering quality infrastructure, services, and skills.
Five key pillars
The statement set out five priority areas to bolster joint efforts between the UAE and Africa…
- Tourism: Focusing on developing quality tourism infrastructure and efficient connectivity, strengthening human capital, supporting local content and the circular economy, enhancing adaptation to climate change, and advancing digital transformation.
- Investment and Infrastructure: Forming predictable regulatory frameworks, investment facilitation, and alignment with continental initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The ministers called for increased use of mechanisms that allow funds to be redirected toward community development, climate, and environmental initiatives.
- Aviation and Connectivity: Expand air links, improve logistics services and facilitate mobility, while recognising connectivity as a vital enabler of regional integration and investment to unlock tourism potential.
- Sustainability: To address the growing impact of climate change on environmental systems and the vulnerability of coastal and forest habitats underpinning international tourist destinations in Africa. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to promoting green and climate-resilient projects, supporting investments in nature-based solutions and encouraging the use of renewable energy.
- SME-financing and Innovation: The role of youth- and women-led enterprises, as well as digital startups and business incubators in fostering inclusive growth, innovation, and job creation, and commitment to supporting their access to finance and markets.
The ministers recognised the UAE as a reliable partner in advancing the sustainable development of African economies, particularly in the tourism sector.
